'Diving Deep' with Squat Lobster

November is not yet over, but those Christmas songs are already on continuous radio rotation. One musical act that you will not hear, or see live, once that first door on the Advent calendar has been opened, is Squat Lobster. Spotted throughout the summer at local outdoor festivals, and even straying away as far as Poland, this crustaceous Norwich duo are, by nature of their own proclamation, 'definitely not a Christmas band'.

Which is all rather odd when one considers that this playfully dynamic duo, comprising George Bryce (Bag of Cans) and Norfolk country-punk artist, Robin Evans Esq., sport Santa Claus hats when performing, even in the height of Summer, and have an entire repertoire of songs with a distinctly Christmassy feel.

It clearly required someone with the probing investigative talents of Matt Bull, the man behind ‘Recent and Decent‘, to bring these ruffian Yuletide deniers (and I am not talking stockings here) to account, and he has invited them to this, his third, Diving Deep night at The Holloway, in order to force them to explain themselves.

Which is exactly the idea behind Matt's 'Diving Deep' evenings – bring in a musical artist or act; begin the evening with a short, but probing, interview session; ask said artist or act to invite their own choice of support to open for them; and to then conclude the evening with their own headlining set.

The invitation for Squat Lobster to 'Dive Deep' at The Holloway, that intimate and cosy venue situated halfway down St Lawrence Steps in the Norwich Lanes, followed in the wake of two previous sessions hosted by Matt, ones that featured Norwich acts Red Mar and Janani.fx as headliners, and with support from Wylt and Kirakira.

With our host Matt having started proceedings with his own self-penned Christmas song, the interview rapidly developed into a slightly surreal question and answer session with George and Robin. Despite their Santa hats and tinsel (admittedly topped off with sunglasses), and friends in the audience wearing 'Santa Baby' sweaters, they were still trying, somewhat tenuously, to deny that they are a Christmas band. Handing out mince pies to the audience probably did not help, either. Probing deeper into the band’s name, it transpires that Squat Lobster is a smaller version of the more familiar clawed lobsters which are caught locally. However, when asked a series of trivia questions about squat lobsters, and, it has to be said, Christmas hits by Maria Carey and Little Jimmy Osmond, it soon became clear that George and Robin knew diddly squat about either.

It was then time for support act Theo Sayers to entertain us with a selection of original songs performed to his own backing track, and with titles like 'Ramen for Two', and with a pasta-based medley thrown in as a main course option, I found myself feeling decidedly peckish by the end.

A bonus performance by Bruce, from Norwich's Black Dog Music Project charity, produced a beautifully soulful cover of the Eric Clapton classic, 'Wonderful Tonight'. Check out the Project's regular music sessions, which are held monthly at The Brickmakers.

As for Squat Lobster, what can I say? The guys are clearly talented musicians, songwriters and lyricists, and together they create a form of chaotic musical comedy that simply has to be experienced to be believed. (They have not actually released any tracks online as yet, so don‘t go looking). Songs about advent calendars, Secret Santa presents costing less than a fiver, Claudia Winkleman, Die Hard, and naughty nativity activities in stables, have me chuckling from start to finish.

Well done boys, you made an old man very happy! Consider that to be your Christmas good deed done. Even though you are clearly not a Christmas band. See you in the summer.